📖 Meaning
Hawks soar in the sky and fish leap in the water. It describes all things each in their proper place, thriving in their natural element. The idiom conveys a state of harmony and vitality where everything is exactly as it should be.
📜 Origin Story
This idiom originates from the Book of Odes (诗经), specifically the 'Hymn of Han Lu' (大雅·旱麓) section, a Zhou Dynasty (c. 11th–7th century BCE) poetry collection. The original line reads '鸢飞戾天，鱼跃于渊' — hawks fly up to the heavens, fish leap in the deep pools. Song Dynasty Neo-Confucian scholars later adopted it to express the idea that the Way (Dao) pervades all things, great and small, each manifesting its nature fully. It became a staple metaphor for cosmic harmony in Chinese philosophy.
💡 Example Usage
春日郊游，见鸢飞鱼跃，万物生机盎然。
On a spring outing, I watched hawks soar and fish leap — all creation brimming with vitality.
🏷️ Category
➕ Similar Idioms
➖ Opposite Idioms
🔤 Quick Facts
- Chinese: 鸢飞鱼跃
- Pinyin: yuān fēi yú yuè
- Literal Translation: kite flying, fish leaping
- Category: Philosophy
- Characters: 4